Seamers chip away for Performance squad

Dr DY Patil Sports Academy 219 for 7 (Indulkar 69*, Mangela 55) v EPP
Scorecard

The England Performance Programme (EPP) bowlers shared around the success on the opening day of their latest match against Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai. The home side closed on 219 for 7 with Vinit Indulkar unbeaten on 69 to ensure the EPP side had to spend a full day in the field.

James Harris and Ben Stokes took two wickets apiece, both bowlers striking in consecutive deliveries, as the hosts fell to 116 for 5. The opening partnership between Shrideep Mangela and Bhavin Thakkar spanned 20 overs before Harris struck twice. Mangela progressed to 55 before he fell to Chris Wright.

Stokes, the Durham allrounder, who has tasted full international cricket, then found two edges that were taken by Craig Kieswetter, the captain of the EPP side.

Unlike the first match the EPP side played, where Scott Borthwick and Simon Kerrigan were among the wickets, there was less success for the spinners this time. With the squad being rotated, Danny Briggs, who is part of England's Twenty20 squad, and Yorkshire's Azeem Rafiq were given their chance and Rafiq claimed the one wicket for spin in the day.

The EPP will have had visions of batting towards the end of the day but Indulkar, who faced 199 balls and hit eight fours, added 58 for the seventh wicket with Sufiyan Rehmani.